Evaluation of the Use of Sodium Thiocyanate and Sodium Percarbonate in the Activation of the Lactoperoxidase System in the Conservation of Raw Milk without Refrigeration in the Ecuadorian Tropics

Abstract

Milk production in Ecuador has enormous economic importance and large-, medium-and small-scale producers all participate in the market. There are multiple climatic regions, and dairy production is present in every one of them. High ambient temperatures in the Ecuadorian tropics represent a key challenge to the conservation of milk in the custody of smallholders. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency of the application of a chemical activator of the Lactoperoxidase System (LP-s) in the conservation of raw milk, at room temperature, in the Ecuadorian tropics. In the present study, sodium thiocyanate-0.36 g·L −1 of milk-and sodium percarbonate -1.36 g·L −1 of milk-as an activator of LP-s were used and the pH and microbiological characteristics (total coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, total aerobes, molds and yeasts) of the milk at different storage times (0, 4 and 8 hours). The results obtained in the present study showed a significant difference between the two groups under study at 8 hours of storage at room temperature in all parameters (except yeasts where there was no growth in the two treatments), being relevant the significant decrease of the bacterial content. Thus the present study shows that the use of sodium thiocyanate and sodium percarbonate in the above described concentrations could be modulating the activation of LP-s that provides an efficient alternative for the conservation of the raw milk without refrigeration, improving the income for losses of the 527product and obtaining a raw material of good quality for sale or for further processing, mainly for small producers who do not have the economic resources to have refrigeration means for their product and who must transport their milk for considerably longer distances until they arrive at the collection centers or the processing plants for sale, thus showing that the method used in the present study is not only effective but also has a relatively low cost and easy application.

Improvement of Raw and Pasteurized Milk Quality through the Use of Lactoperoxidase Systems (LPSs) along the Dairy Value Chain, under Real Conditions in Ethiopia

“…The current findings are also in agreement with the findings of Nigusse and Seifu [29] (2007), who reported a decrease in TCC in cow milk after 7 h of activation of the LPS, as compared to the control treatment at ambient storage temperatures between 22 and 23 • C. The study by Campos-Vallejo et al [36] also reported 0.1, 0.56, 1.67, 2.66, and 1.8 log units of total coliform reduction at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 h of storage at ambient temperature, respectively. LPS activation affects the TCC of cow milk, confirming its ability to preserve milk quality and the combination of bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects on mesophilic bacteria, including coliforms [37].…”

Improvement of Raw and Pasteurized Milk Quality Through the Use of Lactoperoxidase System (LPS) Along Dairy Value Chain Under Real Condition in Ethiopia

“…The current finding was also in agreement with the finding of Nigusse and Seifu (2007), who reported a decrease in TCC in cow milk after 7 hours of activation of LPS as compared to the control treatment at ambient storage temperatures between 22 and 23 °C. The study by Campos-Vallejo et al (2017) also reported 0.1, 0.56, 1.67, 2.66, and 1.8 log units of total coliform reduction at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 hours of storage at ambient temperature, respectively. LPS activation affects the TCC of cow milk, confirming the ability to preserve milk quality and the combination of bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects on mesophilic bacteria, including coliforms .…”

Milk Quality Parameters of Raw Milk in Ecuador between 2010 and 2020: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Regarding the presence of hydrogen peroxide (which is not allowed by Ecuadorian legislation), there is wide variability among the studies; for example, in the research of [ 31 , 32 , 82 ], its levels are farthest from the zero point or the line of incidence, so they disagree with the majority of studies ( Figure 19 ). In Ecuador, the use of hydrogen peroxide is prohibited because it is used to mask the acidity of milk [ 111 , 112 ]; however, there are studies that indicate the benefits of using it to preserve milk for up to 8 h at room temperature without losing its organoleptic characteristics, even in the Ecuadorian tropics, where ambient temperatures can be above 25 °C [ 113 ].…”